Finding a Good Agent

Did you decide you want to use an agent?

I hope so, because you can avoid a lot of mistakes if you did.

But how do you find and pick a good one?

Well, a good place to start is by getting a quote at Benepath ;-), or you can check out the National Association of Health Underwriters or the Independent Health Insurance Association. But seriously, there are a few important things to consider when selecting an agent:

How much experience does the agent have? Personally, I would not work with anyone who has not been doing this for less than one year or at least who works directly with more experienced agents. There are two reasons for this. First, most people (over 80%) who start in the insurance business don’t make it past the first year. So, anyone who makes it past the first year is more likely to be around when you need them. The second reason is someone with a year’s experience has been able to see enough of the good and the bad of carriers in your area to have good judgment about the options for you.
How knowledgeable is the agent? – Just because someone has been in the business 10 years does not mean they are a professional. You want to ask questions that give the agent an opportunity to demonstrate to you that they know their trade. Ask them to tell you the pluses and minuses of the different carriers in your area. Look for details and not just generalizations.

Does the agent represent all the major carriers in your area? You want to make sure the agent represents the major carriers in your area and you know who they are. If you don’t, just read the billboards as you drive down your local freeway… Stay away from agents who only represent one carrier. These are captive agents and their job is to represent the company they work for and to sell you their policies. Maybe their program is the best for you, but in most cases and independent agent can represent that carrier as well. You want an agent who can provide you with multiple health insurance quotes and give you side by side comparisons of the benefits and price of each plan.

Ask them about their process for helping you pick the right plan. There are literally over 1,000 possible plans to choose from when you add up all the various options, copays, deductibles, etc. They should have a good answer for this question; one that lays out a serious path for matching you up with that right health plan.
Now pick up the phone and start asking some good questions.

Happy Hunting!